Casting Notes: Robert De Niro And Monica Bellucci In 'Manual Of Love 3'; Thomas Haden Church In 'The Reasonable Bunch'; Charisma Carpenter In 'Crash Site'

Why should Robert De Niro be this lucky? He's signed on to be in Manual of Love 3, the third chapter in an Italian romantic drama/comedy series. That's odd enough, but he'll be playing an American professor who is the love interest of Monica Bellucci. If there's a stranger pairing I'm not sure I can think of it right now. I doubt De Niro is complaining.  [Variety]

After the break, Barry Levinson's son hires Thomas Haden Church and Martin Landau, and Charisma Carpenter books an indie thriller.

Barry Levinson may be making his eco-thriller The Bay, but his son Sam Levinson is also working on a picture, and it now has an interesting cast. The Reasonable Bunch now boasts Thomas Haden Church, Martin Landau and Ezra Miller, all of whom just came aboard to join Kate Bosworth, Ellen Barkin, Ellen Burstyn and Demi Moore. The film is about " two reckless siblings (Bosworth and Miller) who are dragged to a chaotic family wedding by their overwrought mother (Barkin)." Landau and Burstyn play the family's grandparents. [Variety]

And we've got scant detail on Crash Site, an indie thriller that now has Charisma Carpenter starring. The film is about "a family vacation in the woods, during which a couple must fight their way back to civilization through injuries, creepy critters and wild animals after their Jeep crashes." Carpenter is one half of the couple; her beau is played by Ty Olsson. Jason Bourque is directing in Vancouver right at this very moment. [THR]